


blank stares

by parkrstark



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Amnesia, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, But only mentally, Crying, Gen, May and Tony are co parenting the heck out of Peter in this, because amnesia, i'll add more as i go bc i don't know where the heck this is going, send help
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2019-10-05 04:46:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17318351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parkrstark/pseuds/parkrstark
Summary: Peter’s head snapped back to face him and he winced. “I-I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know…” He looked around the room helplessly. “I don’t know what’s going on.”Tony was almost too afraid to ask, “What was the last thing you remember?”Peter closed his eyes, thinking for a brief moment before he opened them again and answered, “Ice cream. My mom and dad were taking me out to get ice cream.”Now it was Tony’s turn to be scared. “Pete…do you know what year it is?”“Of course. It’s 2009.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a Mess. AKA it is a spur of the moment, I was answering a quick prompt on tumblr and my brain made it into this. I couldn't finish it in one sitting. So many little plot bunnies started forming. Unlike all of my other fics, this is not planned out. I have no middle no end no in between. we die like men. hold on for this shit show.

_So I keep holding on_  
_To every little memory made of you and me_  
_Every little glimpse of who you used to be_  
_I know you’re still in there_  
_Deep down somewhere I swear I still see you_  
_Between the blank stares_

_-Blank Stares Jay Allen_

Peter was hit hard and fell immediately. Tony watched as he swung through the air, helping with New York’s most recent battle. It was nothing big, really. Only needed Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Wa Machine to handle it. That didn’t mean that Tony wasn’t going to worry.

Especially when he watched a large piece of rubble from a destroyed building get thrown at him, smacking him right in the head. He fell from the sky the next second and no matter how loud Tony yelled into the comms, he wouldn’t answer.

“Rhodey, finish taking out this guy. I need to get to Peter!” He didn’t wait for Rhodey’s response before he was flying over to where Peter fell. He saw him, underneath another slab of metal and hurried to land by his side.

Tony knew he was unconscious without even lifting the mask. “FRIDAY, read me Spider-Man’s vitals.”

“He is alive and breathing, but is suffering from a possible concussion and is bleeding. I suggest medical attention as soon as possible.”

Tony didn’t need to be told twice before he was lifting the rubble off of him. FRIDAY would have warned him if it was unsafe to move him, so Tony lifted him into his arms and started the ascent back into the sky.

With a quick look around, he saw Rhodey handling his own with the asshole that did this. Tony said to him through the comms, “I gotta take Peter to the tower. Kick that prick’s ass for him.”

“With pleasure,” Rhodey replied.

Tony grinned, knowing Rhodey could have him begging for mercy in minutes. Then, he continued his flight to the tower, instructing FRIDAY to tell Bruce to prep the medbay.

It didn’t take long before they were landing on the roof and Tony was rushing down to get Peter to Bruce. He made it in record time and Bruce met him, already. Tony laid him down on the nearest cot and carefully pulled his mask off. He was pale with shut eyes and Tony could see the steady stream of blood trailing down his face.

Bruce started looking him over, scanning him with the medical equipment. Tony was too focused on Peter to worry about what exactly was going on.

He was still unconscious. He just wanted to see those brown eyes open again. May would kill him if they didn't. 

 

He remained unconscious until a few hours later after Bruce had fixed him up and announced that nothing seemed wrong, but they wouldn’t know for sure until Peter woke up.

Tony was sitting by his bed when Peter woke up; Tony hadn't left him once. He groaned and slowly blinked open his eyes, glaring at the light. Right. Concussion. “FRIDAY, lower the lights by 80%. Now.” Peter relaxed the moment that they dimmed to almost darkness. Tony smiled at him softly. “That better, buddy?”

Peter seemed to just notice that he wasn’t alone and jumped. He stared at Tony with wide eyes. “What…”

Tony reached out and held his hand to give it a squeeze. Peter stared down at his with slight fear. “You’re okay. Took a nasty hit to the head, but Brucie fixed you up. Always said you were thick-headed. Finally came in handy.” Peter didn’t smile and Tony’s chuckled died down.

Pete continued to stare at Tony like he had grown an extra head. Then he swallowed thickly and said, “I don’t understand.”

Tony frowned, pulling his hand back. “The fight, Pete. You were knocked out.”

Peter’s face scrunched up in confusion. “I don’t…who are you? Where are we?” He looked around the room, but Tony barely noticed. He was too caught up on the fact that Peter had asked who he was…

“Haha, very funny, Peter. Did Rhodey put you up to this one?”

Peter’s head snapped back to face him and he winced. “I-I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know…” He looked around the room helplessly. “I don’t know what’s going on.”

Tony was almost too afraid to ask, “What was the last thing you remember?”

Peter closed his eyes, thinking for a brief moment before he opened them again and answered, “Ice cream. My mom and dad were taking me out to get ice cream.”

Now it was Tony’s turn to be scared. “Pete…do you know what year it is?”

“Of course. It’s 2009.”

_Oh, shit._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna continue this; my brain is planning lots of fun times for this fic....but hang in there bc it's not planned like all my others so I write as I go and inspiration comes and I still don't know where or how this is going to end so,,,,we're in this together rip

Bruce was in the room a few moments later. Tony caught him in the doorway before he could come in. “He doesn’t remember.” 

Bruce frowned, looking at Tony. “Yes. You told me that when you called me back in. What exactly doesn’t he remember?”

“Everything!” Tony said, trying to keep his voice down, even though he knew the kid still had spidey hearing. “He thinks it’s 2009.” 

Bruce’s frown deepened, this time in worry and not confusion. “2009?” 

Tony nodded his head. “He doesn’t know who I am. The last thing he remembers is his parents taking him out for ice cream. Bruce, his parents have been dead for almost 10 years.” 

Bruce paused before answering, “Well, he hit his head pretty hard...amnesia was a possibility.” 

His voice didn’t sound worried enough. Like the fact that Peter was missing almost 10 years of memories didn’t alarm him in the slightest bit. “What are we going to do about it?”

Bruce sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not a neurologist. The brain is such a tricky thing...I’d have to run a few tests and check to see what’s going on. Even then, amnesia isn’t exactly curable. It could come back in a few hours or…”

Bruce didn’t finish his statement, but Tony knew what he meant. There was a chance that they would be stuck with  _ this  _ Peter. 

“How about we go over there and talk to him? He looks a little anxious.” 

Tony sighed. “He’s acting weird...I don’t know what’s up.” 

“For him, it’s 2009.” 

“Yeah--.”

“Not only is this an entirely different world, but he’s not the teenager we know. He was born when? 2000? He’s gotta be 9-years-old.” 

“2002. August 2002,” he corrected without thinking.

“So, he’s a 7-year-old kid,” Bruce said. “He’s hurt and his family isn’t anywhere to be seen. He’s going to be  _ different.” _

Tony felt his heart skip a beat, feeling like a complete moron. Why didn’t he think of the fact that he was a kid? If Tony lost his memories of 10 years, he’d be an adult still but with just a few years gone. Peter was completely different. He was rewound back to being an actual child. 

He turned back to look at Peter, who was sitting in the medbay bed, tugging the blanket close to his chest and looking around the room with wide eyes. 

“Alright...I guess we better go see how he’s doing.” 

Bruce nodded his head, patting Tony on the shoulder one before walking over to Peter. Tony hesitated because he wasn’t ready for this. He could barely take care of the kid as a teenager. How was he supposed to handle an actual child?

Thankfully, Bruce was taking over. “Hey, Peter...how are you doing?”

Peter looked at them both wide eyes and Tony noticed how he gripped the blanket even tighter. “I don’t know…”

“Does your head hurt?”

Still, Peter didn’t look quick to want to answer. “I’m not supposta talk to strangers.”

“It’s okay, Peter. I’m a doctor. Doctor Bruce Banner. I just want to help you out. You hit your head, do you remember that?”

Peter frowned, looking down at his lap. “No...I don’t think. Maybe at the playground? I could have fallen at recess.”

Tony had to bite his lip to keep from saying a word. 

Bruce, however, remained professional. “Can you tell me what’s the last thing you remember?”

Peter’s wide eyes darted from Bruce to Tony and then back to Bruce. “I don’t know...I want my mom and dad. We were gonna get ice cream.”

Bruce turned to Tony and whispered, “We need to keep him calm.”

“His aunt was already on her way down.” Tony kept his eyes on Peter, making sure he didn’t have a complete meltdown yet. 

“The sooner she gets here the better because we can’t--.”

“Where’s my mom and dad?”

Tony cursed under his breath. “Pete--.”

“No!” He shouted throwing the blankets off of himself. Before Tony could move, Peter was scrambling off the bed. “I don’t know who you are!” 

Tony grabbed the kid before he could get any further; he already pulled out his IVs. “Peter, you need to calm down. Your aunt is on her way.”

Peter stilled in his arms. “Aunt May?” 

“Yes. Aunt May.” 

“Where am I?” 

“You’re in the hospital,” Tony explained as patiently as he could. It was kinda obvious from the fact Bruce introduced himself as a doctor, they told Peter he hit his head, and he was in a bed dressed in a hospital gown. 

“I want my Mom and Dad,” he whined, his voice growing thick with tears.  _ Shit.  _ This is exactly what Tony wanted to avoid. 

“Please-- don’t cry, Pete. You’re okay.” Tony attempted to make his voice sound softer since Peter was nothing more than a frightened child right now. 

_ “Sir, May Parker is here.” _

“Thank God. Send her up. Bruce, can you meet her before she comes in? Explain to her what happened.” 

Bruce nodded and hurried out of the room, leaving Tony alone with a clearly upset kid. He could do this, though. He’d helped the kid through plenty of anxiety attacks. He could do this. Peter needed him. 

“Please let me go, sir,” Peter said, fighting in his hold. Thankfully, he hadn’t realized he had the strength of Spider-Man yet. 

“Are you going to run?” Tony asked.

A second of hesitation. “No.” 

Tony rolled his eyes. “You can’t lie to me, Parker.” 

“Please, sir.” 

He sounded more than scared. He sounded terrified. And he really didn’t blame the kid-- waking up somewhere unfamiliar and probably thinking the guy restraining you was a crazy kidnapper had to be scary for any kid. “Peter, just come back into bed okay? Your aunt is almost here and then we’ll explain everything.” 

“Aunt May?” He sniffled, calming down in his arms. 

“Aunt May,” Tony confirmed, hoping it would be enough. 

“Okay…” He said, turning around to wrap his arms around Tony’s neck and his legs around his waist. 

“Peter, what--?”  _ Oh.  _ He was a child. Children get carried around. 7-years-old sounded a little old to be carried around, but if it kept Peter calm, he wasn’t going to argue. He grunted as he stood up, keeping a secure hold onto Peter. The kid was light, but he was still a teenager and Tony was getting too old for this. 

He was just lowering him to the bed when the door opened again. Tony and Peter both looked to where May was standing in the doorway. By the look in her eyes, Tony could tell Bruce told her. 

“Aunt May!” Peter cried out, reaching his arms to her. 

She hurried over, sitting on the bed and pulling him into a hug. “Oh, baby. I heard you hit your head.” 

“I don’t remember,” he said, his tears threatening to fall again. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, sweetie. We just want to make sure you’re okay.” 

“I...My head hurts. And I’m confused.” He sniffled, burying his face deeper in her shoulder. “I want Mommy and Daddy.” 

Tony turned away when he heard Peter say that in such a pained voice. He knew how this had to end. He knew how bad he took the news of his own parents’ passing and he was 19-years-old. 

“Actually, baby, that’s something we have to talk to you about.” 

Peter pulled back, looking at her. “What’s wrong?”

May looked away with tear-filled eyes. “You hit your head, Peter...you lost some memories.” 

“What? I don’t get it.” 

May turned to Bruce helplessly. “I don’t know how--.”

Bruce cleared his throat, coming closer to the bed. “Peter, you’re here because you hit your head. Because of the head injury, you have amnesia, which is something that happens when you lose your memories.” He paused, watching Peter’s face as the kid tried to keep up. He was smart, but he was still a child. “You think it’s 2009, but that was years ago. It’s 2018. You’re 16-years-old.”

Peter stared at him like he’d grown another head in front of him. “No. I know it’s 2009. I was getting ice cream with Mom and Dad.” He looked to May. “Tell him, Aunt May.” 

“Baby, he’s not lying. You’re 16.” She threaded her fingers through his hair. She took his hand in her other hand and lifted their hands up. “See? Those aren’t your chubby baby fingers. And look how long those legs are. Definitely not 7.”

Peter studied his hand, splaying his fingers across her palm. Then he kicked out his legs. Finally, he looked back up at May. “That’s why you look different.” 

“Different how?”

“Answer carefully, Pete,” Tony joked. 

Peter pulled his fingers through her hair gently. “Your hair is longer.” He poked her cheek. “You got some wrinkles.” 

May laughed loudly and, taking his hand in hers again. “I forgot little you didn’t have much of a filter, huh?”

“Sorry,” he said, even though he didn’t sound like he knew what he was apologizing for. 

“Don’t apologize, baby.” She was still smiling softly. “As long as you’re okay, I’m happy.” 

“What happened? Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“You were playing around and hit your head. You were asleep for a bit,” May said, doing a good job at hiding the Spider-Man injury.

He looked back up at her. “Where did my memories go? You said I lost them.”

May chuckled a little in surprise at the comment and looked over to Bruce for back-up on the explanation. He had a small smile on his face as well. “They’re...well, they’re hiding in your brain.”

“Why?” Peter asked, tilting his head. His curiosity seemed to beat out his worry at the moment. 

“I don’t know, Peter. Amnesia happens for lots of different reasons.” 

“I can try to look for them…” 

Bruce laughed. “Thank you. We’re going to try and help you remember too.”

“Do...do I know you?”

“You do. I help you a lot when you get hurt.” 

Peter nodded his head and then leaned over to look at Tony. “What about him? I don’t remember him.” 

May responded before Tony could get the chance. She sounded almost amused. “Really, Pete? You don’t recognize him?”

Peter hesitated before shaking his head. “I don’t think so. I’m sorry.”

“Here’s a hint: the poster on your wall.” 

Peter widened his eyes hugely as he stared at Tony. When he spoke, his voice cracked in surprise. “No way...you’re Tony Stark?”

“A poster on your wall? Seriously, kid?”

Peter’s face turned bright red as he buried his head back in May’s shoulder. “May,” his whine was muffled. 

“Yes, Petey?”

“I’m so embarrassed. I didn’t know it was  _ him.”  _

Tony laughed. “Yeah, I bet I look older too.” 

Peter turned around to stare at him and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Stark...but you’re just-- your hair is kinda gray and you got wrinkles too. You don’t look so fancy either...more like a dad.”

That made Tony laugh even louder. “Well, kid, you’re the one that gave me these gray hairs.”  _ You’re also the one that made me a dad.  _

“Me? I know Iron Man?” 

“Sure do.” Tony smiled. 

“Oh my goodness. This is the best day of my life.” 

“You said that when you and Ben won tickets to the Stark Expo.” 

Peter’s eyes widened even more if that was possible. “I did? That’s so awesome!” He was smiling widely, looking around the room. “Where is Uncle Ben?”

The room grew quiet and Peter was the only one that kept the smile on his face. Tony and Bruce exchanged looks, unsure if they should step out to give them some privacy. Tony decided he’d stay either way; May would need some help calming him down probably. 

When she spoke softly, she carded a lock of his hair behind his ear. “Baby, you lost a lot of memories…” 

“Yeah…” 

“Ben--,” She had to stop when her own voice was thick with tears. “Ben isn’t with us anymore.” 

Peter frowned. “Is it because you always burn the food? I thought he was always joking ‘bout leaving.” 

May sniffled, wiping her eyes. “No, baby. He’s gone, as in he passed away.” 

“No,” Peter said, shaking his head. “No.” 

“Yes. I’m so sorry.” 

Peter started to wring the blanket between his hands. “No...you’re lying. He can’t die.” 

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, trying to pull him in for a hug. “It’s just you and me.” 

“Mommy and Daddy,” he whimpered. “I want Mommy and Daddy.” 

“Oh, baby,” May said, not able to hold her own tears back. “I’m sorry.” 

Peter froze, going silent for a moment before he said, “Not them too,” he sobbed, and then collapsed in May’s arms, crying loudly in her arms. 

Bruce excused himself from the room in a low voice and stepped out of the room. Tony took a deep breath before taking a seat on the bed next to May. He hesitated only a second before wrapping his arms around May and immediately, she fell into his embrace, joining her nephew in his sobbing. 

Tony rubbed her arm softly, hushing her soothingly under his breath. 

Being Tony Stark, the man with enough money and power to get anything he wants, and unable to get the Parkers their family back hurt more than anyone could ever imagine. “It’s gonna be okay,” he whispered. “It’s all gonna be okay.”

He was going to keep that promise if it killed him. 


	3. Chapter 3

“What are you looking at?” 

Tony jumped at the sudden voice. It had been quiet for so long that May’s soft voice sounded like thunder to his ears. He looked up from his laptop that was balancing on his lap and gave her a small smile. “Nothing important.”

May rolled her eyes, shifting only slightly in the bed. Peter was still curled into her side; he had cried-- no, sobbed was more like it-- himself to sleep earlier that night. May hadn’t moved since falling asleep an hour or so after Peter finally did. “Nothing important? Uh huh. Peter just lost 10 years off his life basically and you expect me to believe you’re just on your laptop doing _nothing_ _important?”_

Tony glanced down at his screen, hesitating before reading off his screen, “Normal behavior and development for 7-year-olds.”

“And what does it say?” She asked, amusement lacing her voice. 

“Um...well, they split it into social, cognitive, and physical behavior.” He read off some notes he was taking, “They love sharing knowledge, ask a lot of questions, get excited at physical activities, distracted easily and this is the age where they are starting to try and handle emotions on their own.” 

May laughed. “Sounds like Peter at any age.”

Tony smiled. “Yeah, I guess now it’s just worse, huh?” His eyes skimmed through the article, already fearing what to expect from this new Peter. 

After a few moments of silence, May asked, “Well, do you want to go by what that website tells you or do you wanna hear it from someone that lived with him when he was 7?” She brushed a hand through Peter’s hair and he curled even tighter against her side. 

Tony was always eager to hear stories about little Peter and May loved telling them; it was a win-win. He gave her a smile after shutting his laptop and placing it on the bedside table. “I would love to.”

“Ben and I got him in May of 2009. He was just 6-years-old…” She smiled down at him. “He was quiet at first. He barely spoke a word to Ben or me.”

“Peter quiet? Never thought that would be possible.” Tony really couldn’t imagine it.

May grinned with a shrug of her shoulders. “Quiet, but he wasn’t that different. From the moment CPS dropped him off, he was always close to one of us. He always had a hand in our shirt, he crawled into our bed every night, he never let us out of his sight.”

Tony’s eyes fell to Peter, where he was laying and had himself wrapped around May like he was afraid of her leaving. Which he probably was after he just found out May was all he had left.  

“Didn’t really open up to us until a few weeks after when he started to realize this was his new life. Woke up one day and...he finally smiled. He started talking to us and then he began laughing...by only a few months later when his birthday rolled around, he was happy to be our boy.”

“Sometimes I forget he...I mean, I know you and Ben aren’t his real parents. But it’s easy to forget that he lost his parents...and then he lost Ben too. It’s so much to lose,” Tony admitted in a small voice. 

“They shouldn’t be forgotten. They were the ones that raised Peter for the first few years of his life. They’re still his parents...but if others forget, that’s okay. He never forgets. He talks about them a lot...says he doesn’t want to forget them.”

Tony had never heard Peter talk about his parents, but then again, he had rarely heard him talk about Ben either. Tony didn’t blame the kid; it wasn’t like Tony was eager to start talking about his parents either. “I feel horrible he has to go through this all over again.”

“I can’t believe it’s happening. I never thought this was even possible…”

Tony glanced at Peter before answering, “Bruce says it’s his mind trying to protect himself. It wanted to bring Peter back to his life before he lost everything. That’s why he’s in 2009. Probably just before the accident.”

“How do we get him back?” 

“He doesn’t know. Neither do I. We’re just gonna have to try and spark a memory in his mind that brings him back. Until then, we’re gonna have a 6 or 7-year-old Peter on our hands.” 

May smiled, looking down at her nephew. “He wasn’t that bad. A little wild and hard to keep up with, but he was the best kid.”

“Don’t doubt it,” Tony said. “Guess I’ll get to see for my own soon, huh?”

“You will. And it is going to be more tiring than having a newborn, so you should get some sleep before morning,” May said. 

Tony sighed. “I’m fine. I want to keep looking through these articles--.”

May reached out and put her hand over his. “Tony, as one unprepared parent to the other, you’re not going to learn anything from the books or blog posts. Peter’s gonna teach you. And it’s going to be overwhelming at times, but it’s going to work out in the end.”

“May, I have no experience at all with a child.”

“Neither did I when Peter was brought to our home. But I got the hang of it and so will you. I promise. But it will be a million times worse with no sleep.”

Tony sighed, knowing she was right. He nodded his head, standing up to head to his room. “Yeah…”

Before he could leave the room, May said, “FRIDAY, let me know if he doesn’t go to sleep. And don’t let him on any electronics. It’s for his own health.” 

_ “Of course, Ms, Parker,”  _ FRIDAY, that little traitor, responded. 

“Women of the house are against me, huh?”

May smiled up at him. “Just wait til Pepper gets back. 

Tony huffed as he walked towards the doorway. “God help me when you two team up against me.”

May giggled as he stepped out. “Goodnight, Tony.”

“Goodnight, May. Sweet dreams.” He gave her one last smile, maybe to get a glimpse of Peter sleeping peacefully before he started to the elevator that would take him to his floor. 

He really was going to need this sleep. 

 

\--

 

When Tony woke up the next morning, he went down to the kitchen for coffee and was expecting an empty room. So, seeing May standing by the stove, frying up bacon, was definitely a surprise. “May? What’re you doing up this early?”

She turned around with raised eyebrows. “Early? Tony, it’s almost noon.”

Tony did a double take, checking the time on his phone. He didn’t check it when he woke up because he really didn’t think it was past 9. He shook his head as he walked over to the coffee machine. “Leave me alone I haven’t had my coffee yet.”

She laughed at that. “Okay...you hungry? I’m making food for Peter, but I’ve got plenty extra.”

“Yeah, thanks...where is our Spider-Baby anyway?”

“He’s in bed. Doesn’t wanna get out. I’m probably gonna have to bring him his plate when it’s done.” Her voice sounded almost sad when she spoke. 

“Doesn’t wanna get out of bed?”

“He likes to hide in there when he’s upset. After Ben, he spent over a week without leaving his room besides to use the restroom.” She shrugged her shoulders. “He’ll be okay. He always is.”

Tony paused, watching his coffee cup slowly fill up. Tony remembered how he was right after his parents death; he shut the world out and acted like he didn’t want someone to come in and check in on him. “Why don’t I go see how he’s doing?”

May turned around from the stove to look at him. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’ll see if I can help him.” Tony picked up his mug, taking a careful sip. “It’ll be fine.”

That startled a laugh out of her. “Sure, it will be.” After a moment of hesitation, she said,  “Just be patient with him please. He can be difficult like this.” 

“I will be, don’t worry,” he reassured her before walking out of the kitchen. “I’ll get him out here in time for breakfast.”

”Good luck,” she called out as he went down the hallway towards the elevator. 

 

He thought about what he wanted to say to Peter and how he was going to get the kid to open up to him all the way to his medbay room. This wasn’t the Peter he knew and had grown close to. This was just a scared 7-year-old that in his mind, just lost his mom, dad, and uncle. 

He had no idea how to go about this. At all. 

So, he called on any dad-instincts he gained from being Peter’s mentor for the past few years and stepped inside the room. He saw a lump on the bed and guessed that was Peter curled underneath the blanket.

Peter must have heard him come in because with a muffled voice, he said, “Aunt May, I don’t wanna eat.”

“Sorry, kiddo, Aunt Ho--.” He stopped himself with a cringe. “Aunt  _ May _ is in the kitchen.”

It was almost humorous the way that Peter shot up in the bed, struggling to pull the blanket off of himself. His face was bright red when he finally got the blanket unwrapped from his body. “Mr. Stark! I didn’t know it was you!”

“Yeah, I figured that, buddy.” He smiled, walking over to take a seat next to Peter on his bed. 

While he did so, Peter sat up straighter, looking anxious. He started to self-consciously run his fingers through his hair. 

Tony had seen him do that so many times when they were at an awards ceremony or a gala, but he never did it with him. Peter always felt comfortable enough to not need to. He reached over and took Peter’s hands in his to lower them. “C’mon. Stop that.”  

Peter squirmed as he flexed his fingers nervously. “What?”

“You don’t have to-- freak out. It’s just me. It’s just Tony. Just Mr. Stark.”

“You’re Tony Stark,” Peter corrected, the hero worship back in his eyes that hadn’t been there since before the night Peter almost died on Coney Island. “You’re a superhero! You’re the smartest person in the entire world! I’m just...Peter.”

Tony’s smile turned almost somber. “Little Pete was just as self-deprecating as Big Pete?”

“Self...deprecating?” Peter asked, tilting his head. 

Shit. 7-year-old vocabulary. “Yeah...you’re too-- mean to yourself.”

Peter frowned, thinking his words over. “I don’t think I’m mean. I love myself.”

Tony’s lip quirked up just a bit more. “Yeah?”

His mop of curls bounced on his head as he nodded his head. “Of course I do. But, I’m just saying that I’m just a kid. And you’re Tony Stark!”

Tony moved his hands from Peter’s wrists to hold his hands and squeeze them gently. “You’re not just some kid to me, Peter. I know you can’t remember, but you’re…” Tony trailed off, looking at Peter’s wide eyes staring back at him, ready to believe any word that came out of his mouth. “You’re my family.”

Peter jerked back, his eyes turning almost scared. He pulled his hands up to his chest, fidgeting slightly as he said, “I-I think you have the wrong kid, Mr. Stark. We’re not related.”

“No, we’re not...but...I don’t have any  _ real  _ family left.” Now was his time to connect with Peter. “I lost my parents when I was 19. I don’t have anyone else, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a family.”

“No?” He asked, still not looking like he believed Tony. 

“Nope. I’ve got a great family. Pepper, Happy, Rhodey...they were my family.”

Peter quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. I don’t know them.” 

Tony saw his chest falling and rising rapidly. “Hey, hey. It’s okay. I’ll let you meet them. I just said their names to tell you that family doesn’t mean blood. Sometimes the best family is the one you make on your own.”

“I...my family is all gone,” Peter said, his eyes welling with tears. 

Tony started panicking too as he watched him start to cry. “Don’t cry. Hey, it’s okay.”

Peter sniffled, hunching his shoulders. “I’m sorry-- I can’t. They’re gone. I don’t have them anymore.”

“Of course you do,” Tony said, trying to get him to calm down. 

“N-No. Just Aunt May. Mommy and Daddy and Uncle Ben are gone. We were supposed to get ice cream.” Peter couldn’t hold back his tears any longer and he started sobbing. Loud and messy cries. 

Tony wasn’t good at comforting people like this. He wasn’t soft and comforting. He was hard and awkward. “Pete-- don’t cry. I know it sucks, but you’ve still got family.” 

Peter sniffled wiping his nose with his sleeve and Tony cringed. He needed a tissue. “No. They’re all gone.”

“You’ve still got family,” Tony repeated. “You’ve got Aunt May. And you’ve got your best friend Ned. I’m your family and my family is yours. In fact, I think they all like you better than they like me.”

Peter sniffled a few times before asking quietly, “You lost your mom and dad too?”

Tony gave him a small smile. “Yeah, kid...I did.”

“Do you miss them?”

Tony looked down at his lap, clearing his throat when a lump starting to grow. “Yeah, I miss them.”

“What do you do without them?” 

“I keep living. I know it’s what they would have wanted-- me happy.” Or at least his mom would have wanted that, but Peter didn’t need to know about Howard. “Sometimes it’s hard, but I have my family. They keep me smiling until I can see my parents again.”

“I won’t always be this sad?” 

Tony looked back up at him. “No, Pete. You won’t.” 

“B-But I don’t want to forget them.” 

Tony grabbed his hand again, forgetting he had basically used it to blow his nose. He ignored that to keep holding his hand and smile at him softly. “You won’t. I promise.” 

Peter’s lip started to quiver again as he nodded his head. “I forgot my whole life! I forgot they died! What if I forget them too?”

“That doesn’t count. You hit your head. You forgot because your brain was trying to protect yourself.” Peter sniffled once again and Tony squeezed his hand. “Stop that. You’re gonna make yourself sick.”

“M’sorry,” he mumbled, stopping his sniffling. 

“It’s okay. Let’s just go get you a tissue, yeah?” Peter nodded his head, but didn’t move. Tony realized after a moment what he was waiting for. “Pete, you’re not a tiny little kid. Look at you. You’re a big boy. That means unless you want me to pull my back, I can’t carry you around.”

“Daddy used to carry me everywhere,” he whispered, his voice growing thick with tears again. 

“Okay, hey, hey. Let’s not get ourselves all worked up again.” He was quick to try and keep him calm. “You’re okay.”

“I wanna stay in bed.” He tried to lay back down, but Tony didn’t let go of his hand and kept him sitting up. 

“Nope. Sorry. You need to blow that nose of yours-- seriously, your face is covered in snot.” Peter wiped his nose again with his sleeve as his cheeks blushed. “And you need to eat. Your aunt has breakfast almost done down there.”

“M’not hungry,” he whined. 

Tony rolled his eyes. “You’re such a liar.” Peter’s eyes widened and he quickly covered his nose. Tony frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Mommy says my nose grows when I lie.” Tony laughed and Peter glared at him. “Don’t laugh at me.”

Struggling to contain his laughter, Tony said, “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing at you, Pinocchio.” It took a few seconds, but he managed to get his laughter under control and said, “We both know you’re hungry. So why don’t we all go eat?”

Peter kept staring, slowly lowering his hands away from his nose. 

Tony gave him an encouraging smile, knowing that Peter probably wasn’t going to go down to the kitchen unless Tony was sneaky about it. “You know, May is down there, excited to see you.”

Peter shook his head. “She just saw me.”

“So? She loves you so much that she can never get enough of you. Spent all morning making breakfast for you.” Tony stood up, hoping Peter would follow suit. “You don’t wanna make her sad by hiding in here all day, right? She’d miss you.”

“Seeing me will make her happy?” He asked, wiping his nose again.

“Sure will. And seeing her will make you happier.”

Peter smiled, finally. “Okay.”

“Why don’t we go get washed up before breakfast,” he suggested. 

Peter nodded his head, jumping out of bed and grabbing Tony’s hand. Tony tried not to make a face. He  _ definitely  _ was going to wash his hands. “Okay, I’m ready!” 

Tony smiled back at him and started walking him towards the nearest bathroom. “Alright, buddy. Let’s go.” 

 

When he walked into the kitchen with Peter by his side, May was surprised. “Both of my boys are joining me today?” 

Peter gave her a wide smile as he took a seat at the table. She placed a plate of food in front of him and he started eating immediately. 

While he did that, May walked over to Tony and whispered, “You got him out? Good job.”

Despite the amount of tears and snot that showed just how difficult it was, Tony shrugged his shoulders and said, “Just had to say please.”

May saw right through his bullshit. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

“Don’t worry, May. I’ve got this parenting thing under control.” 

Laughing, May took a seat next to Peter and said to Tony, “The day hasn’t even started yet, pal. Something tells me you’re going to be in for a few surprises.”

The cocky grin on Tony’s face fell when she turned around. This was going to be...interesting. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took too long to get out...

“Are we almost done?” Peter asked after Bruce finally stepped away from him. He wanted to do some more tests on him after a full night to make sure he was still doing okay. Besides for the concussion, there wasn't anything else to keep any eye on. 

May smiled at him, doing her best to keep him calm through all the tests. “Almost done, baby.” 

Peter had never liked medbay when he was a teenager and he definitely didn't like it now. He squirmed on the cot the entire time Bruce tried doing anything. 

He had zero patience and hated sitting still. That made the MRI just about impossible. Bruce was going to look at the results and make sure there still was no sign of brain damage. 

“I want to go,” Peter whined, tugging on May’s hand. 

“We're leaving right now,” she told him. “You were such a good boy, I'm gonna let you go upstairs and play with your Legos. Sound fun?” 

Immediately, Peter smiled and nodded his head. He jumped off the cot, excited to build his Legos.

It was scary how similar 17-year-old Peter and 7-year-old Peter were alike sometimes. 

The only difference was that his Peter knew exactly where to run to after being stuck in the medbay. Now, Peter still didn't know his way around so he just bounced excitedly by the door. 

“Alright, kid, we're coming,” Tony said, going to join him. 

“There are still a few things I'd like to talk to you two about,” Bruce said as he looked from May to Tony. 

“Please. I've got some questions too. Why don't we head upstairs and talk while Peter plays?” May suggested. 

“Sounds good to me,” Tony agreed. Peter would hopefully distract himself with the Legos while the three of them could have an adult conversation. 

 

They all headed up the elevator to the living quarters. Some of them were faster than others (Peter). 

Tony, May, and Bruce all took a seat on the couch and Peter stared at him expectantly. Right. He had no clue where his stuff was. 

“FRIDAY, do me a favor and remind Peter where his Lego room is. Let him pick any box he wants.” 

Peter’s eyes widened considerably. “You have a whole room just for Legos?” 

“No.  _ You  _ have a whole room just for Legos. You ran out of room to display them in your bedroom, so I thought if I gave you a little room to store and build them in, it would be easier.” 

“This is the best day of my life!” Peter exclaimed, despite saying that already a dozen times since he'd woken up. 

“I'm sure it is, bud. Go grab your set and bring it back.” Tony smiled, watching as Peter nodded his head and then went running off. 

Once he was gone,Tony turned back to the other two and said, “You know, besides for some memory issues, he's exactly like he was before.” 

May laughed and rolled her eyes. “Maybe. But I want  _ my  _ Peter back.” 

“Gotta say I agree with her, Doc. What's the verdict? Learn anything new?” Bruce said he was going to be working on it all night, so Tony really hoped he figured something out.

“Well, I’ve got good news and bad news,” Bruce said with a sigh. 

May reached out and grabbed Tony’s hand at the mention of bad news and Tony eyed Bruce. If there was any  _ bad  _ news, he should have told Tony beforehand so he could break it to May himself. “Bad news?” 

“Well, I still haven't found a way to bring Peter’s memories back. I'm afraid we're still going to have to rely on just triggering them back. Either by showing him familiar things or…” Bruce trailed off, shaking his head. “No, it's crazy.” 

“Please, Dr. Banner. We don't have much else to go on. If it'll help, I'm willing to hear you out,” May said.

Bruce looked at her for a moment without saying a word. Then he spoke, “His mind had him forget his life because it's trying to protect him. It was essentially scared of everything he had faced and wanted to hide to a time before he knew such pain.” 

Tony still hated that the last time Peter was pain free was when he was 7-years-old...well, technically, 6 years and 10 months. That was before his life started to go downhill and he just wanted to be happy again. 

He knew May must have hated it too, but still she nodded in understanding. “Yeah, so you mentioned…”

“Well,” Bruce continued, “I was thinking of scaring his memories out the same way they were scared in.” 

“Scare him?” May repeated, scrunching her face in confusion. 

“Yes. Scare him enough to get those memories to come back. We'd have to scare him in a way that these memories would protect him, perhaps...I really don't know.” 

“Scare him?” Tony said, just as May had, trying to figure out what Bruce’s words meant. “You want to...traumatize the kid when he's got the mental development of a 7-year-old?” 

“I said it was crazy,” Bruce said in exasperation. “I know want to do it any more than you do. I don't even know how we’d do it.”

Tony imagined Peter terrified, only for a moment, and he was already shaking his head. “No. We're not doing that. He's vulnerable right now and I've seen him upset. We're not taking advantage of him to make the poor kid wet the bed in fear.” 

“I don't want--.”

Tony blinked, processing his own words before turning to May. “Wait. He's past that stage right? The bedwetting?” 

May raised her eyebrows. “He was a child that had just lost his parents. Sometimes he had night terrors. Really bad ones.” 

Tony felt bad for the kid, but still said, “Should I be putting plastic sleeves on his mattress?”

May rolled her eyes, smacking his arm. “Can we focus on what's important here? And don't you ever tell him I told you that. He'd die of embarrassment and then kill me.”

“Hey, at least he doesn't suck his thumb,” Tony said, shrugging his shoulders. 

“Actually…”

“Oh, come on!” 

“Just a little when he's anxious. He breaks out of the habit soon.”

“Not soon enough,” Tony grumbled. When he was 7, he was building computers and work in his father's lab, learning about how to run a company, learning how to avoid his father when he drank too much. He wasn't sucking his thumb, or wetting the bed, or getting carried around by anyone that would hold him. 

But then again, Peter wasn't raised by Howard Stark. He was raised by Ben and May, two people that adored him it their entire being and would do anything for him. Peter had his time to be a little kid and so much more. Tony hadn't been a little kid since he learned how to walk. 

“I'm not scaring him,” Bruce said again to get them back on track. “We'd probably have to throw him into a simulated mission and let him find his powers in a near death experience. I don't want that.” 

“We are not letting him near any battles,” May said strongly. She was using her “my say always goes” voice and neither Bruce nor Tony could argue it, even if they wanted to. 

“Agreed,” Tony said just as Peter joined them again in the living room. He was holding a box of Legos he hadn't opened yet and dropped it to his feet. It was a Jurassic World set with lots of dinosaurs. Peter looked just as excited now to see it as he was when Tony first got it. 

“Can I play with this one?” He asked, his shining with excitement. 

“Go ahead, kiddie. It's yours.” 

Peter smiled and fell to the ground, rather gracefully actually, crossed his legs and immediately tore open the box. Then he began separating the bags into their numbers and reading through the instructions booklet. 

There was no way he was going to hear a word they were saying. 

“So,” Tony continued, in a lower voice. “We're not scaring him. That leaves reminding him of the memories he's missing.” 

Bruce nodded his head. “He spent much time here, but it doesn't seem to be doing much. I was thinking about his apartment in Queens. He lives there, he grew up there. It should be better.” 

May nodded her head. “As long as you say he's okay, then it sounds good to me. I can stir his memory there.”

“That means not just the apartment, but as well as places he goes, people he knows,” Bruce explained. 

“His buddy Ned is probably the key to solving this. One minute with him and we'll have our Peter back,” Tony joked-- well, half-joked. He might not be able to fix it all, but if anyone (other than May) was gonna get their boy back, it was Ned. 

“I'm sure Ned wouldn't mind coming over,” May agreed.

“All his friends in school will be a great stimulus too.” 

Both Tony and May froze. “School?” She asked, beating Tony to the question. “Are you sure he's okay with going to school like this?” 

Bruce shrugged his shoulders. “I really don't know. I've never had a case like this before. He needs his old routine though and school is a big part of that.”

“School isn't a fun place for him on good days, Bruce. You wanna throw him in as bully fodder when he's got the mind of a child?”

“Tony is right,” May said. “I don't want him hurt.”

“I think you'd best talk to his friend about that one. I'm not forcing you to send him, but I'm saying that it will probably be a big help.” 

May still didn't look convinced and neither was Tony, but he could understand where Bruce was coming from. “Alright, we'll talk to Ned about school. See what he thinks and if he's up to playing babysitter for the day.” 

May nodded her head hesitantly. “I know Ned would be willing to do it. He'd do anything for Peter. I just need some time to think it over.” 

“Understandable,” Bruce said. “Everything I'm saying right now is just suggestions. I can't make you do anything because I can't be guaranteed that this isn't a complete waste of time.” 

He looked upset as he admitted this and May reached over to grab his hand. “Hey...it's okay. You're trying your best and it means a lot to me.” 

“I wish I could do more,” he said back, smiling at her apologetically. 

“Your best is enough. We're going to figure this out. I promise.” 

“I feel like I'm the one that supposed to be saying that to you,” he said. 

“We all need the encouragement I think.” 

“That we do,” Tony said, looking over to see Peter clicking together Legos. It was the same position he'd seen him in many times before and he wasn't doing anything different. But there was still something off, even if Tony knew what was wrong, he didn't know how he knew it. He just knew that by watching Peter, this wasn't the teenager he'd gotten to know. It was a weird feeling. 

“So we'll bring him home tomorrow and see if we can trigger anything,” May said, dragging Tony’s attention back to their conversation. 

“And for dinner tonight I'll invite Rhodey and Happy. He knows them. Maybe they'll help out with his memory.” 

“If you think it'll help,” May said, sounding more relieved now that they had a plan. 

“We all know how much Rhodey adores that kid and while Happy tries to hide it, it's obvious he's got a soft spot for him too. They've gotta crack at those walls.” 

“I hope so,” May said. 

“Now that I've given you the bad news,” Bruce said, “how about the good news?” 

Tony had completely forgotten there was more to this conversation and it seemed so did May. But she perked right up. “Please.” 

“I was going over more scans and there seems to be no signs of any brain damage still. He's in great health.”

May breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll take what I can get. Even if he's stuck in the past of 10 years ago, at least his brain is okay.” 

“Once we get these memories back, he'll be good as new,” Bruce said. “I wish there was more I could help you with.” 

“No, no. You've done more than enough, Dr. Banner. Thank you so much,” May said, giving him a smile. 

“Alright then...well, if you have any other questions or concerns about any of this, you know where to find me. Please keep me in the loop with how bringing him to Queens goes.”

“Of course, Brucie,” Tony said, patting him on the arm. “And if we need anything or anything goes wrong, we will call immediately.” 

Bruce smiled at them. “Thank you.” Then he stood up and went over to Peter. “Hey, Peter. I'm all done and just wanted to thank you for being an excellent patient.” 

Peter paused his building to look up and give Bruce a smile. “Bye, Dr. Banner!” 

Bruce’s smiled deepened before he turned back to them. “Have fun, you two. I'll see you later.”

“Thank you so much for everything, Dr. Banner.” 

“Bye, Brucie!” 

Now that Bruce was leaving for the elevator, Peter’s attention was on them. He turned around to fully face the couch. “Wanna come play?” 

“Oh, thanks, buddy,” Tony said, “but we're okay with watching you have fun.” 

Peter frowned and his shoulders drooped. “Oh, okay…” He turned back around to finish his set. 

May slapped him on the arm when Peter couldn't see and Tony held his arm, faking pain in a low whisper. “Ow! What was that for?” 

“Go play with him!” She said, shoving him lightly. 

“Play with him? He always does his Legos by himself when Ned isn't with him.” Tony frowned. He really did not want to get on that floor and start building dinosaurs. 

“Tony.” 

But he also didn't want to face May when she was angry, so he sighed heavily and gave in. “Fine. I'll go build dinosaurs.” 

“Thank you.” May smiled. “I'm going to invite Happy and Rhodey for dinner,” she said loudly so Peter could hear too. “You boys have fun.” 

Peter whipped around, grinning at Tony. “You wanna play?” 

Tony couldn't help but smile when he saw Peter’s. “Yeah, kiddo. I wanna play.” He walked over and sat down next to Peter on the carpet, looking at the pieces he already had done. He wasn't as fast as he was when he was older, but he was still doing pretty good. 

“You can put that bag together,” he said, handing him one. “Oh! And can you put the stickers on some? I can't get them on without ruining it,” he explained with some frustration in his voice. 

Tony reached over to rub his hair. “Of course, kiddo.” He giggled at that and Tony found himself smiling again. “Alright then. Let's get this done before dinnertime. We'll show it off when the boys get here.” 

 

They worked on it for a while as they waited for dinner to be served. They were almost finished when the elevator door dinged open and two sets of footsteps stepped out. 

Tony turned around to see Happy and Rhodey standing there, looking unsure of themselves. Like they were lost. 

“Welcome to my humble abode, gentlemen. There's someone I'd like you to meet,” Tony called over. He turned to Peter and patted his arm. “Can we pause to go say hi to my friends?” 

Peter hesitated before he nodded. But as they stood up, Peter grabbed his hand and refused to let go. 

They met Happy and Rhodey halfway to the elevator as they walked over and when it was just the four of them standing there, facing each other, it was a little awkward. 

Tony cleared his throat to speak first. “Rhodey, Happy, this is Peter.”

May must have filled them in on the phone because neither argued the fact that they knew Peter very well already. 

Happy looked hesitant, but Rhodey smiled, taking a step forward to hold out his hand for Peter. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Peter. I'm Rhodey.” 

Peter kept one hand on Tony’s but still reached forward to shake Rhodey’s hand. “Nice to meet you too, Mr. Rhodey.” 

Rhodey took a step back and elbowed Happy. Happy cleared his throat and stepped forward, sticking out his own hand. “Hey, Pete. I'm Happy.” 

Peter giggled as he shook Happy’s hand and Happy frowned. “I like your name, Mr. Happy.” 

Rhodey covered his mouth to hide his own smile as Tony laughed. “It's cute, isn't it, Pete?” 

“Hey, don't encourage him,” Happy said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Peter tilted his head, staring up at Happy. “You don't seem very happy.” 

“Because I'm not.” 

“Oh…” Peter paused before lighting up again. “I know how to make you happy!” 

Happy grunted. “Good luck with that, kid.” 

Then Peter surged forward and wrapped his arms around Happy, sticking his face in his chest. 

Happy’s eyes widened as he stared at Rhodey and Tony. Even Tony had to admit that was kinda cute. Rhodey gestured to Peter and mouthed, “Hug him back.” 

Happy made a face before wrapping his own arms around Peter. 

Peter laughed, looking up at him. “Hugs always make me smile.” 

Happy relaxed and held Peter closer, moving a hand to the back of his head. “Yeah, hugs make me smile too, bud.” 

“You got him to smile in under 5 minutes, Pete. That's a new record,” Tony said, still surprised himself at Happy’s reaction. 

Happy pulled away from the hug, patting Peter once on the back before turning to Tony. “Oh, hush. You can't say shit when you were puddy in his hands before any of us.” 

Peter gasped, covering his mouth. “That's a bad word,” he whispered. 

“Yeah, man,” Rhodey said, shoving him. “Don't teach the kid curses.” 

Peter laughed. “It's okay, Uncle Ben curses when he watches the Mets play. I just can't tell my parents or they won't let me watch games with him anymore...oh, right.” 

As he had started talking about them, Rhodey and Happy looked at Tony with slight panic. Then as Peter grew somber when he remembered his Uncle and parents were both gone, their panic turned to sadness. 

Peter sniffled, wiping his nose. “I'm sorry. I forgot. They're-- I don't have them anymore.” He wiped his eyes furiously. “I'm a big boy. I'm sorry for crying.” 

Surprisingly, it was Happy that lowered himself to meet Peter’s eye level. He put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Hey, you don't have to apologize for crying, Pete. It's okay to be sad.”

Peter sniffled louder, rubbing his eyes as he shook his head. “‘m supposta be a big kid. Not a baby.”

“You know, when my Dad died, I cried for days,” Happy said. “Sometimes I still cry when I miss him a lot.” 

Peter stopped rubbing at his eyes to look at Happy. “Really?” 

“Uh huh. It's normal to be sad. You lost people you love.” 

“I thought they were alive, but Mr. Stark said my memories are gone. They died and I don't remember any of it. The adults are trying to find my memories.” Peter’s tears slowed down as he sniffled again. 

“Well, how about we help look too? I bet you want those back, huh?” 

Peter nodded his head. “Yeah. It's weird. All I remember is being a kid, but everyone says I'm actually 17.”

“That sounds rough. But you're strong enough to handle this. I know you are.” 

Peter smiled hesitantly at him. “You really think so?”

“Know so, kiddo,” Happy ruffled his hair. “You'll be back to normal in no time. Well, as normal as Peter Parker ever was.” 

Peter laughed, bouncing on his feet slightly. “Thank you, Mr. Happy.” 

“No problem. Why don't you go wash up for dinner? Your Aunt says she's got something you're gonna love.” 

Peter turned back to Tony. “Can I go clean?” 

Tony nodded his head, even though Peter didn't have to ask. “Sure. And go to the bathroom while you're in there. We'll meet you in the kitchen.” 

“Yeah, kid. I like you, but I'm not changing your diapers,” Happy said. 

Peter’s face burned red. “I don't need diapers!”

Rhodey patted his arm. “Don't listen to him, Pete. He's just teasing.” 

Peter eyed him wearily before going down the hall to the nearest bathroom. Once he was gone, Tony turned to the ceiling. “FRI, if he gets lost, help him please.” Then he turned to Happy. “Well, aren't you just a natural born Peter whisperer.” 

Happy rolled his eyes. “Who picks him up from school everyday? I'm the one that calms him down when Flash gives him a bad day.” 

“Aw, you do have a heart,” Tony said, even though he hated the fact that Flash upset the kid so much. 

“Yeah, yeah. Don't get used to it.” He shook his head. “This is actually kinda strange. May told us on the phone what was up, but I didn't expect it to be like...that.” 

“Like what?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“He's an an actual child.” 

“Yeah, Hap, that's what happens when your brain tells you you're 7.”

“I didn't know he got hit that hard,” Rhodey whispered, looking almost scared. “I've seen this crap in bad episode plots. But never in real life.”

“Yeah, well, when has being my friend ever been normal?” 

“May said we're gonna jog his memory?” Rhodey said questioningly.  

“Yup. We're showing him things he knew. Trying to get him to remember something.” 

“Doesn’t seem to be working,” Rhodey said, staring down the hallway Peter disappeared down.

“Hopefully, dinner will change that,” Tony said.

 

It didn't. Even with all of them sat around the table eating and talking it didn't stir Peter’s mind. 

Watching him shovel spoonful after spoonful of mac and cheese into his mouth without stopping for a breath just showed that. 

He always loved mac and cheese, but usually he didn't get half of the cheese all over his face. And if he did, he stopped to clean it off. But not now. May was the one that had to lean over and wipe his face with a napkin. 

Rhodey and Happy took turns telling stories they had of Peter, but that didn't work either. Rhodey was in the middle of one about Peter and him pranking Tony when Peter interrupted him. “Are you a Transformer?” 

The table went silent and Rhodey took a moment to say, “What?” 

Peter bent to the side and stuck his head under the table. He came back up so fast he almost smacked his head on the table. “Your legs. You look like a Transformer.” 

May immediately put a hand on Peter’s arm. “Peter,” she scolded quietly before turning to Rhodey. “I'm so sorry, Colonel.” 

Rhodey waved her worry away. “It's alright.” He smiled at Peter. “Nah, squirt. I'm not a Transformer.”

“Darn. That woulda been awesome!” Peter tilted his head. “What are they then?” 

“I have a suit like Tony and I fell. I hurt myself and could walk until Tony made these legs for me.” 

“They help you walk?” 

“They sure do. Isn't that cool?” 

Peter nodded his head. “Mr. Stark is such a good friend.” 

Tony felt his cheeks burn as Rhodey agreed “He really is.” 

“Alright. That's enough,” Tony said. He turned to Peter. “Finish your dinner or else I'll feed it to DUM-E.” 

Immediately, Peter went silent and dug back into his bowl, getting most of it on his face. 

 

The rest of the dinner went like it started with everyone telling stories. Peter listened in rapt attention with wide eyes, but didn't show any recognition to them. 

He was finishing his fourth bowl of mac and cheese when he started to yawn. 

“I think it's sleepy time for Spider-Baby,” Tony said. 

Peter frowned. “I'm not a spider. Spiders are gross and scary.”

Tony couldn't help but laugh. “Oh, if only you knew, kid.” Thankfully, he didn't know about his spider powers. All they needed was an over excited 7-year-old running across ceilings. 

“Go clean your face up and go to the bathroom and then you can head to bed,” May said. 

Peter nodded his head and got up, scraped his dish and placed it in the sink before coming back to the table. He went around the table, starting with Happy and gave everyone a hug and kiss goodnight. 

Then he was running down the hall to get ready for sleep. 

The adult at the table sat in silence for a moment before Rhodey said, “Okay, now that's kinda adorable.”

“He's a very polite boy,” May said. 

“Can you train Tony to do that?” 

“Be polite? Even I don't think I can,” she said, smirking at Tony. 

“Wow. Even you're against me? My heart is broken.” 

May stood up from the table with a smile. “You boys do me a favor and clean up after dinner while I go tuck him in.” 

“Tuck him in?” Happy said with a laugh. 

May walked by and smacked him upside the head. “Don't laugh. I bet you got tucked in when you were a kid too.” 

“Probably still does when he visits his mom,” Rhodey said with a grin. 

“Alright, you two. Stop fighting.” Tony turned to May. “You take care of the kid while I take care of these brats.”

“Sounds good. We'll meet up after for wine and dessert at the table.” 

“Is that what you and Ben did? Tucked the rascal in and then had wine?” Tony joked. 

“Most days we passed out minutes after Pete did. He's a crazy child. Just wait, you'll find out.” 

Tony grinned. “I'm excited.” Despite it sounding like a joke, Tony really was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yee I'm such a slut for happy and peter

**Author's Note:**

> so yeah...come scream at me on tumblr @parkrstark... and let me know what you think below.


End file.
